Americans United on Education, the American Dream, and Founding Documents |
ISI asked 2,508 Americans whether they strongly agreed (5), agreed (4), were neutral (3), disagreed (2), or strongly disagreed (1) with thirty-nine propositions. Below are all thirty-nine propositions ranked by the strength of American opinion on each, along with whether Americans tended to agree or disagree with each proposition. Strength of opinion on each proposition is the difference between the average response and the neutral position. |
Rank Of proposition by strength of opinion Agree/Disagree |
1 |
Educators should focus on teaching the technical skills for competing in the global economy. |
Agree |
2 |
A person’s evaluation of a nation improves with his or her understanding of that nation. |
Agree |
3 |
Colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching America’s history, its key texts, and its institutions. |
Agree |
4 |
With hard work and perseverance anyone can succeed in America. |
Agree |
5 |
America is the world’s greatest melting pot where people from all countries can unite into one nation. |
Agree |
6 |
The Bible is the Word of God. |
Agree |
7 |
The Ten Commandments are irrelevant today. |
Disagree |
8 |
Abortion should be available at any stage and for any reason. |
Disagree |
9 |
America is a model of freedom and justice for the world. |
Agree |
10 |
Society is identical to government. |
Disagree |
11 |
America’s Founding documents are obsolete. |
Disagree |
12 |
America corrupts otherwise good people. |
Disagree |
13 |
Republicans and Democrats are similar in their beliefs. |
Disagree |
14 |
Government must act to curb global warming. |
Agree |
15 |
Universities should allow students to live in a dorm room with the opposite sex. |
Disagree |
16 |
America’s media covers rival political views fairly. |
Disagree |
17 |
Universities should ensure a balance of liberal and conservative views among faculty. |
Agree |
18 |
Prosperity depends upon entrepreneurs and free markets. |
Agree |
19 |
Homeschooling families neglect their community obligations. |
Disagree |
20 |
Same-sex couples should be allowed to marry legally. |
Disagree |
21 |
Educators should instill more doubt in students and reject certainty. |
Disagree |
22 |
Local zoning laws improve communities. |
Agree |
23 |
Raising the minimum wage decreases employment. |
Disagree |
24 |
Religion and science typically conflict. |
Agree |
25 |
Public school teachers should be allowed to lead prayers in school. |
Agree |
26 |
Profit accrues to those organizations that help people. |
Agree |
27 |
Competitive political parties improve public policy. |
Agree |
28 |
Discrimination is the most urgent problem in America. |
Disagree |
29 |
Government regulation does more good than harm. |
Disagree |
30 |
The American Founders opposed universal health care. |
Disagree |
31 |
Global capitalism produces a few winners and many losers. |
Agree |
32 |
American government should do more to solve international problems. |
Disagree |
33 |
Latino immigrants are assimilating well into America. |
Agree |
34 |
Taxing the rich to help the poor reduces work and investment. |
Disagree |
35 |
The free market brings about full employment. |
Agree |
36 |
Legislators should suspend all tax dollars for a college after its endowment exceeds one billion dollars. |
Agree |
37 |
Immigration into America should be reduced no matter how well immigrants assimilate. |
Disagree |
38 |
Religion provides indispensable support for self-government. |
Agree |
39 |
Legislators should subsidize a college in proportion to its students learning about America. |
Disagree |